The Emotional Strength of Introverts During the Pandemic
New research shows the resilience of introverts for life in COVID-19.
www.psychologytoday.com
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The Emotional Strength of Introverts During the Pandemic
- Thread starter Poetic Injustice
- Start date
www.psychologytoday.com
As an introvert all I'm saying is it feels like I've been training my whole life for this pandemic
THIS.
With the exception of horrible shit happening in general, both personal and not, I've acclimated quite well to this shut-in lifestyle. It simply isn't far removed from my non-pandemic routine and habits.
lol, this exactly why I started telling people when they complained about the shut downs.
The lockdown didn't bother me at all. In fact, I relished the silence (I live near a busy road).
It was wonderful.
It was wonderful.
The pandemic has been extremely tough - obviously. Stress, anxiety, and depression haven't been kind at all but I do believe that my being an introvert helped me a lot to survive being at home for such a long period. There are antsy days but I've always been content to snuggle with the dogs or lose time to games or just hang around the house so it's great.
The one negative for me as far as WFH goes is that I never realized how important the "psyche up/wind down" 10-minute drive to work was for me. There's no separation of home/work areas anymore and, especially with work email on my phone now, I'm never truly disconnected. I'm very much a "leave your work at work" kind of person (especially after a few jobs I've had) so it's been quite the adjustment on that front.
The one negative for me as far as WFH goes is that I never realized how important the "psyche up/wind down" 10-minute drive to work was for me. There's no separation of home/work areas anymore and, especially with work email on my phone now, I'm never truly disconnected. I'm very much a "leave your work at work" kind of person (especially after a few jobs I've had) so it's been quite the adjustment on that front.
Lmao right? It's been heaven on Earth for me. There was a bout in April where I was SUPER ready to go back into the office but since then I've been living my best life.
Checks out. I'm perfectly fine and content with just futzing around my apartment, playing videogames or watching movies.
Now, if there was a pandemic that demanded people get together in large groups at all times and you constantly had to talk with each other, I'd absolutely hate that.
Now, if there was a pandemic that demanded people get together in large groups at all times and you constantly had to talk with each other, I'd absolutely hate that.
Yup. Everything is mostly the same, except not going on vacation, to the movies, or eating out as much.
I do spoken word poetry, and a lot of events have moved to Zoom. Like, I really, really miss the audience and feeling their energy and vibe.
But also, I get to read my shit and just chill right after I'm done and not have to talk to people? It's kind of amazing.
But also, I get to read my shit and just chill right after I'm done and not have to talk to people? It's kind of amazing.
My wife and I love staying at home, so we're ok. But she gets incredibly mad seeing people on the news going out and not wearing masks or social distancing. The only thing we miss is going out to go grocery shopping, eating out once in a while, and taking our son to the library.
If I wasn't trying to change careers the lockdown wouldn't have changed anything for me, I already WFH and order stuff online.
For the mental aspect of it, the lockdown was the least of my problems. Shitty people doing shitty stuff made me angry, not the lockdown.
For the mental aspect of it, the lockdown was the least of my problems. Shitty people doing shitty stuff made me angry, not the lockdown.
Introvert reporting in. What's loneliness again?
In all fairness, makes me appreciate meeting people in person more. I never thought I'd say it but would have preferred more chances than I have right now. I've been working from home since March, my contact with the outside is literally almost non-existing aside from going to the shops.
In all fairness, makes me appreciate meeting people in person more. I never thought I'd say it but would have preferred more chances than I have right now. I've been working from home since March, my contact with the outside is literally almost non-existing aside from going to the shops.
Same here. I don't feel different and I'm totally alright with social measures.
Yeah, it feels like I was born for this kind of scenario. I've always been an introverted homebody type. So while I'm handling things pretty well all things considered, I'm just watching my wife going nuts. She craves that social interaction and going out, while I'm just cool staying at home playing games, watching movies, and reading manga. I'm far more concerned about her happiness and wellbeing at this time than my own. I can see the toll the pandemic is taking on her everyday, and it makes me feel really bad. Just wish there was an end in sight, but this country is fucking up so badly in it's response to the virus, that I don't really see things returning to normal any time soon.
If anything pandemic life has been a positive for me as I no longer need to spend 2 hours a day commuting to and from work.
Long live covid.
Long live covid.
Wife: I hate my coworkers, I hate my job, I hate not going out, I think I'm forming depression, I need to go somewhere.
Me: My bean in Fall Guys is a 75 time Worldwide Champ. I like to pretend he's Ric Flair. Whooooooo!
I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm insane by now.
I've enjoyed the built in excuse to socialize even less, but it's not a slam dunk. There are introvert-friendly activities that are impractical now that I used to use to destress, like trips to the theater. I also think my attitude toward others has worsened as I get very grouchy when people walk near me on the street and I'm unsure whether they'll give me 6'.
Other than being unemployed, life barely feels different to me if I'm being honest. I've actually enjoyed spending all my time at home by myself.
My biggest stressor under lockdown as an introvert was not knowing how long the lockdown would be, in a very "I am enjoying this and it ending stresses me out" way.
Obviously I had my share of freak outs over whether my job would exist on the other side, but I would have been fine going another six months. I'd LOVE to do another one.
Obviously I had my share of freak outs over whether my job would exist on the other side, but I would have been fine going another six months. I'd LOVE to do another one.
The only downside to this is that my tabletop gaming group has been on hiatus, since online game formats don't work very well for us.
I miss my friends... Even if it was only on a once a week, in a controlled format.
Otherwise, the wife and I are running this pandemic easy mode. We both are content to stay inside and read, game, watch anime, etc.
I miss my friends... Even if it was only on a once a week, in a controlled format.
Otherwise, the wife and I are running this pandemic easy mode. We both are content to stay inside and read, game, watch anime, etc.
As an introvert, this pandemic is nice because it forces the extroverts into my comfort zone. One thing I dislike in the office was the extroverts setting all the rules for group activities based on their confort zone and I end up looking anti-social for declining for proposing tweaking something to be less uncomfortable for me. The table have flipped and I frankly feel like lording it over them.
But at the same time I can sympathize with extroverts wanting for social time, just don't use my daily zoom meetings to yammer on about your life. Go create your own separate meeting space.
But at the same time I can sympathize with extroverts wanting for social time, just don't use my daily zoom meetings to yammer on about your life. Go create your own separate meeting space.
The lockdown/pandemic has brought more good than bad to me, lol. Could go on like that forever. Can't think of a situation where it ever bothered me being at home all day long. Always loved it.
I got laid off at the start of this mess, but beyond the stress of worrying about a paycheck, I very much enjoyed being stuck home everyday. I don't think I actually know what loneliness feels like, but I don't think I experienced it. I enjoyed being able to work on my own projects unabated and I set myself normal "work" hours to focus on them to keep my schedule essentially the same and it was fine. good, even. Probably the closest I've been to happy in years.
I like being back at work and having insurance and a paycheck and all that, but I feel a little guilty about how much I miss being locked down.
I like being back at work and having insurance and a paycheck and all that, but I feel a little guilty about how much I miss being locked down.
I'm back to working from home full time and I love it. Combined with zero plans? I'm made in the shade over here.
Yeah outside of the horrible shit that's happened socially. My own personal routine hasn't been interrupted that much. I do feel bad for extroverts though. I can't imagine this pandemic has been anything close to easy for them.
Lmao same.
Yeah I had the same thing but from June-July where I was ready to go back to the office. The feeling died down and I've been living it up at home since then.
Same here. I think the only thing I really miss is going out on vacation. And it isn't even burning away at me it's just one of those things that I think would be nice to do lol.
I feel that my girlfriend is the same she loves going out and talking to people. The pandemic has been way harder on her then me. Wish there was something more I could do to help her outside of what I'm doing now. But unless I could wipe covid out in my city and bring back our old life. There isn't much else I can do.
I think you are me lmao
While I haven't been alone since I live with my brothers and mother, pandemic life has not changed my daily routine outside of my usual eating places closing early. I've adapted pretty much seamlessly to the changes like social distancing, isolation, and limiting social interactions since I do that already. In fact, when the lockdown first started in NYC, it was legit my favorite time of the year because no one was on the streets and the ambient silence was borderline theraputic...until I got to work where it was either dead or packed to the brim with customers.
The only real negative to the pandemic lifestyle is seeing everyone else freak out about it. Some I feel sympathy for like extroverts and other socially dependent people who need face to face interactions and other daily needs to function but follow protocol anyway and try their best under the circumstances. Others...not so much.
The only real negative to the pandemic lifestyle is seeing everyone else freak out about it. Some I feel sympathy for like extroverts and other socially dependent people who need face to face interactions and other daily needs to function but follow protocol anyway and try their best under the circumstances. Others...not so much.
Reduced stress from not having to be social doesn't nearly make up for the increased stress from, you know, every single other damn thing happening in the world
